Killester tested to the limit

Basketball News and previewsKillester have experienced a week of turmoil after their American John DeGroat became the latest foreigner to take early leave of Irish basketball in highly unprofessional circumstances.

We'll let the Killester website take up the tale: "The player's agent in the USA arranged for the player to go to Finland without telling the club. The agency in New York city rang the player in the early hours of Tuesday morning and told him to be in the airport the following morning for a flight to Helsinki and that they would inform the club which they never did.

"The first Killester heard that he was gone was when the Finnish Basketball Association rang Basketball Ireland for the player's release."

The absence of DeGroat contributed to their defeat to Shamrock Rovers Hoops in the cup.

Having also lost Ed Randolph to a knee injury, coach Mark Keenan is hoping the passport for a new import from the University of New Hampshire, one Craig Walls, will come through in time for him to line out against Belfast Star tomorrow.

Basketball has some serious competition to keep the attention of its small yet loyal following this weekend as the Superleague clashes with the European Cup in rugby and the International Rules Test with Australia. The Rules game takes a certain Kerry football superstar out of the Tralee Tigers ranks for their trip the Mardyke Arena tonight but the UCC Demons have an equally concerning absentee in Shane Coughlan who is injured.

The Demons are coming off the back of a heartening cup victory over UCD Marian but their strength in depth will be tested to the full with a trip to Killarney to face St Paul's tomorrow night.

Elsewhere, Ballina are seeking their first 100 per cent return from a double-barrel weekend when they entertain St Vincent's tomorrow before a trip to the national arena on Bank Holiday Monday for a meeting with the Hoops.

FIXTURES: Today: Men's Superleague: Round three: UCC Demons v Tralee Tigers, Mardyke Arena, 8.15. Tomorrow: Men's Superleague: Round three: Ballina v St Vincent's, Ballina SC, 8.0; Neptune v Limerick Lions, Neptune Stadium, 8.0; St Paul's v UCC Demons, 8.15pm; Killester v Belfast Star, IWA, 7.30pm. Women's Superleague: Round three: Meteors v UL Aughinish, Naomh Olaf, 8.45; Tolka Rovers v DCU Mercy, Tolka Rovers SC, 7.0; Wildcats v Cork, Mercy Gym Wfd, 7.30pm. Monday: Men's Superleague: Round three: Hoops v Ballina, National Basketball Arena, 7.0.